Safety-support for trolley-wires



(N0 Modl.)

Wdfie 6663 A? fe f 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- H; K. WHITNER. SAFETY SUPPORT FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

Patented June 13, 1893.

(No Mod l.) I 3 sheets-sheet 2 H. K. WHITNER,

' SAFETY SUPPORT FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

No. 499,270. Patented June 13, 1893.

(No Model.) 3 sheets sheet a.

HQK. WHITNER. v SAFETY SUPPORT FOR TROLLEY WIRES. No. 499,270. Patented June 13, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM K. WI-IITNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY-SUPPORT FOR TROLLEY-WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent N0. 499,270, dated June 13, 1893.

Application filed February 6, 1893. Serial No. 461,258. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM K. WHITNER, a 7

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Supports for Overhead Conductors of Electric Railways; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in safety supports for overhead conductors of electric railways.

The object of my invention is to not only support the overhead conductor more securely than heretofore, but by means of such open Work, shields, or guards as'I hereinafter show, the so-called trolley systems may be constructed in a safer and less objectionable manner than heretofore.

The wire guards heretofore placed at a distance and parallel to the overhead conductor of an electric railway do not afiord the requisite protection, because of the sagging at the midway points of the span. Even should a fouling wire fall accommodatingly across instead .of longitudinally upon and between said guards, such fouling wire will weigh down the indifferently suspended guards and when the foreign wire becomes entangled on the surface of the street said guards are deflected sufficiently to take the current from the conductor with damaging results.

My invention consists in a safety support of novel construction and suspended from a cable of proper tensile strength, supplemented by a netting as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of an overhead system for electric railways and embodying myinvention. Fig. 2- is an enlarged representation of my improved safety support shown detached from Fig 1. Fig. 3- is a view in perspective of a portion of an overhead system for electric railways and embodying my invention. Fig. 4'isa' modification of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is also a view and may be insulated from my safety supports through G, as it has heretofore been insulated from the supports X and Y through G and G, hence I omit the details of said insulators designated as G,

-G' and G and commonly in use and which may be applied to the purposes of my invention.

B and C are the well known guards to overhead conductors. Said guards and conductors may be secured at points X and Y by any of the approved methods heretofore in use.

7 'D is a suspension cable secured at a somewhat elevated position at points X and Y of the span in order that my safety support may be held securely in suspension between said points X and Y. Cable D may be attached to said safety support at the crown of the arch E F, Figs. 2

and 6, or more definitely designated by the 80.

extreme end of radiating arm L. Fig. 4. 4

The above described guard wires B and C may be secured by any of the well known means respectively at points the extremes of radial arms M and N, Figs. 2, 4 and 6. i In Fig. 6 I show a method I preferably use for attaching respectively said guard wires B and C and cable D to my safety support. Bolt J havingascrew thread out upon its entire length, upon the ends of said 0 bolts, I preferably screw, eye caps Q and R5 to said eyes, sections of B, C and D may be attached. Traveling jam nuts O and P adapted to adjust any unequal elongation of the parts incident to the sus- 5 pension between X and Y. Any unusual degree of slack may be taken up by turnbuckles S. Such means for adjustment Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of 55 parallel to the respective above referred to B and 0. Such disposition of the elements of my invention, not only prevents the irregular and fatal deflections of the abovereferred-to overhead systems, but it enables spans of greater length to be placed in the system, consequently fewer X and Y surface obstructions.

The fundamental principle of my invention is to sub-divide the divisions or spans of the so-ealled trolley system of electric railways as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, but it will not bea departure from the spirit of my invention to substitute cross arms as shown V V in Fig. 5. or their equivalents an inverted (T); such substitution may prove practicable, when but a single division of the span is made. However for the purpose of my invention I prefer a frame, segment shaped, as it not only presents a fender of proper form to a longitudinally fouling wire but it will also prevent overturning of the overhead system when lifted by the under contact arm of the car. One or all of said sections may be covered by woven wire netting placed horizontally between and secured at its edges to guards B and G as shown WV Fig. 5. or thrown over the supporting frames and middlesection of cable D thereby forming an arch covering T for the middle section of the span Fi 3.

In Fig. 5 pendants U and U with their respective cross-arms V and V, the latter reaching from wire B to wire O and underneath said section of netting IV will prevent said netting from sagging. Such disposition of the parts incident to my invention will be found especially serviceable when telegraph and telephone wire cross said trolley system as at point Z Fig. 5. Either or both of said guard wires and C may consist of several telephone ortelegraph wires insulated and forming a cable or when of large dimensions said commercial cable I may be lashed to and suspended immediately under suspension cable D Fig. 1, thereby concentrating the overhead obstructions over the middle of the street and away from the building line.

Having thus fully described my invention I will now in claims point out what is new and novel.

1. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with a conductor and two guard wires, of a support frame, a suspension cable and means whereby said wires and cable may be fixed in relative positions about the said supporting frame substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with a conductor and two guard wires, of a support frame, a suspension cable, a duplication of guard wires and means whereby said wires and cable may be fixed in relative positions about said supporting frame substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with a conductor and two guard wires, of a support frame, a sus pension cable, a section of netting adapted to be secured to said guard wire and cable substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

.4. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination,with a conductor, of a support frame, a suspension cable, two guard cables, both adapted to contain a number of insulated wires and means whereby said conductor and cables may be fixed in relative positions about said supporting frame substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with a conductor A and guard wires J ant O,of a support frame having curve E F and arms M and N, suspension cable D and means whereby said wires and cable may be fixed in relative positions about said supporting frame substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with conductor A and guard wires 3 and C, of a support frame,having curve F aud arms L, M and N also pendants H and K, suspension cable D and means to fix said wires and cables about said supporting frame, and adapted to have duplications of B and 0 wires attached to said pendants substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with conductor A and guard wires B and G of two support frames having adjusting bolts J, suspension cable D and means whereby said wires and cable may be adjustably fixed in relative positions about said supporting frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an overhead system for electric railways, the combination, with a conductor and two guard wires B and C,of a support frame, a suspension cable D and means whereby said wires and cable may be fixed in relative positions about said supporting frame and adapted to hold netting W in suspension upon cross arms V and V attached to pendants U and U substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I'IIRAM K. WHITN ER.

W'itnesses:

Louis '1. MANN, LOUIS LODGE. 

